Full name Sailendra Nath Manna Role Footballer | Name Sailen Manna Years Team | |
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Date of birth (1924-09-01)1 September 1924 Date of death 27 February 2012(2012-02-27) (aged 87) Died February 27, 2012, Kolkata | ||
Sailen manna sunil paul producing a master piece of the legend s image
Sailendra Nath Manna (1 September 1924 – 27 February 2012), known popularly as Sailen Manna, was an Indian International Footballer and is considered to be one of the best defenders India has ever produced. He has represented and captained India in different international competitions including Olympics and Asian Games. He also has a record of playing for Mohun Bagan, one of the best clubs in India, for a continuous period of 19 years. He is the only Asian Footballer ever to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the English FA in 1953.
Contents
- Sailen manna sunil paul producing a master piece of the legend s image
- Exhibition match on sailen manna s birth anniversary
- Education
- Club career
- International career
- Honours and awards
- Death
- References
Exhibition match on sailen manna s birth anniversary
Education
He graduated from the Surendranath College, an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta. He worked for the Geological Survey of India.
Club career
Manna started his playing career for Howrah Union, then a club in the 2nd Division Kolkata Football League, in 1940. After turning out for the club for a couple of seasons, he joined Mohun Bagan in 1942 and continued playing for the club for a period of 19 years, till his retirement in 1960. During this period, he was the Captain of Mohun Bagan from 1950 to 1955. It is to be noted that during his 19 years career in Mohun Bagan, he reportedly earned only Rs.19 (roughly USD 0.5 based on existing exchange rates). As a defender, he was known for his anticipation, covering and a strong free kick.
International career
Sailen Manna was a part of the Indian Football Team for the 1948 London Olympics, where Indian lost to France by a margin of 1-2. Under Manna's captaincy, India won the Gold Medal in the 1951 Asian Games and also won the Quandrangular Tournament for four consecutive years from 1952 to 1956. In 1953, the England Football Association rated him among the 10 best skippers of the world in its yearbook. Manna was also the captain of the Indian team in 1952 Olympics and a member of the 1954 Asian Games.
Honours and awards
- Included in the list of the 10 best Captains of the world by English FA in 1953.
- Awarded the Padma Shri in 1971 by the Government of India.
- Awarded the "Footballer of the Millennium" by All India Football Federation in 2000.
- Awarded "Mohun Bagan Ratna" in 2001.
Death
After being unwell for quite some time, Manna died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Monday, 27 February 2012. He was 87 years old and was survived by his wife and daughter.